By Grace Q. Bryant
The Supreme Court has placed traditional leaders from Bong County on parole for stripping Magistrate William G. Capehart and some police officers naked and also initiating sheriffs of the Salala Magisterial court in the traditional school.
The traditional leaders were also accused of disturbing and attempting to abduct other court staff at the Bong Mines and Gbartala Magisterial Courts.
Commissioner Daniel Tubman; Commissioner Clinton Brown; the Acting City Major of Totota City, Robert Sulu; the Acting General Town Chief of Totota City, Miller Bondo; the Youth Leader of Salala District, Varney Sirleaf; the Poro Grove Operator in Salala District, Ernest White; the Cultural Advisor, Joseph Kollie and the Acting Paramount Chief of Fuamah Chiefdom, all of Bong County were held for vandalizing the Magisterial Courts in Salala, Bong Mines and Gbartala.
Based upon these dreadful acts, the Supreme Court held these defendants in criminal contempt and sentenced them to six months imprisonment at the Monrovia Central Prison as deterrence and as a means for the defendants to re-evaluate their actions.
It can be recalled that the full bench of the Supreme Court unanimously agreed to deny a request from some executive from the county seeking pardon on behalf of the seven local county officials who were being held in criminal contempt of the Judiciary Branch of government after being sentenced six months imprisonment.
According to the Supreme Court’s ruling yesterday the granting pardon, the high court said the penalty imposed on a contemners is a matter of judicial discretion more than the application of the Law.
“Hence, it is the power of the Supreme Court to extend mercy to the petitioners if their conduct and attitude change since their imprisonment warrant same,” Chief Justice Yuoh noted.
She added that the petitioner have served three months out of the six months sentence of imprisonment imposed by the Supreme Court and thereafter expressed remorse for their action executed an affidavit to the effect that they would remain law-abiding at all times and uphold the integrity and dignity of the courts within the Republic of Liberia.
“The request for release from further detention is hereby granted with the provisions that for reminder of their sentence, they report once monthly to the ministerial office of their respective magisterial courts where record of their attendance shall be recorded,” the court noted.
The high court mandated the clerk to order to issue their release and place same in the hands of the Marshall of the Supreme Court to have the contemners released from further detention.
